St. Pete-Clearwater Sun

Largo’s new $85 million city hall, called Horizon West Bay, is set to open Monday, May 19, at the heart of downtown Largo.

The project broke ground in October 2022 and was originally expected to open at the end of 2024, but the pandemic and hurricanes contributed to delays.

The facility features an outdoor plaza, event and retail space, and open-concept workspaces, along with more than 23 meeting rooms, nine private phone rooms, and two training rooms. Retail tenants include Parlor Doughnuts, Louis Pappas Fresh Greek, and Strachan’s Ice Cream.

The outdoor plaza is designed to host markets, live music, and community events. Above it sits a 340-kilowatt solar panel system covering more than 25,000 square feet. A free parking garage with more than 300 spaces — including 11 electric vehicle charging stations — is also included.

City officials say the building is intended to improve how residents access local government. The second floor will house community development services and the permits planning division, while the upper floors are dedicated to fire and engineering, IT, and city administration, including the mayor’s office.

Chris Tillett, who oversees Largo’s economic development and housing divisions, called the project the largest the city has undertaken and described it as a significant milestone for downtown, expressing hope that surrounding businesses and development will follow.

Building, permitting, and planning services will be available when doors open on Monday at 8 a.m. A ceremonial ribbon-cutting is planned for June 2 at 5 p.m.

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